Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike said Friday that his political alliance with President Bola Tinubu remains firm, calling on political leaders in Rivers State to consolidate support for the president ahead of future elections.
“My interest in Rivers State is for God to use me as a vessel to help our people,” Wike said during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders from Akpor Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
“I am back here not for what I will get, but for what I will be, to raise my people,” he said.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, said political activity should be guided by collective interests rather than enduring hostility among rivals.
He repeated his pledge to resign as minister if President Tinubu fails to win Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
“There is no permanent enemy in politics; what we have is permanent collective interest,” Wike said.
“It is all about the interest of our people. The more you are in number, the happier you become,” he said.
He also compared leadership to a waste bin, saying leaders must be able to absorb both praise and criticism.
“Leadership is like a waste dustbin. If you cannot absorb things, both the good and the bad, then you cannot be a true leader,” he added.
Wike described his appointment as FCT minister under Tinubu as an extraordinary political development that overcame long-standing political divisions.
“You know how difficult, you know how impossible it looked, but he made it possible for us to produce the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,” Wike told the gathering.
He said his return to grassroots mobilization in Rivers State was intended to use his political position to advance the interests of the state and its residents.
The Minister also urged supporters not to be distracted by criticism on social media over his willingness to work with former political opponents.
Political strength, he said, ultimately depends on numbers.
He instructed local leaders to establish an inclusive campaign structure across Obio-Akpor, calling for the participation of traditional rulers, religious leaders, community figures and other influential groups.
“Obio-Akpor as a whole, whether you are a politician, whether you are a traditional ruler, whether you are a pastor, or whether you are a native doctor, I need everybody now,” he said.
“For the purpose of voting and elections, we must bring everyone together,” he added.
Drawing on his record as the first elected chairman of Obio-Akpor to win a second term after the local government’s creation in 1989, Wike said electoral success depended on visible performance and sustained contact with residents.
“I was not elected two times because I was just chairman,” he said, adding that “I was elected because people felt the impact of governance and because I related with the people.”
He said his participation in burials, thanksgiving ceremonies and other community events had helped maintain his connection with voters.
Wike identified Wards 15, 16 and 17 as strategically important areas, saying their combined voting strength could significantly influence the outcome in Obio-Akpor.
“We have over 200 units across three very important wards—Ward 15, Ward 16 and Ward 17,” he said.
“These three wards can defeat ten wards in Obio-Akpor. They are three wards with a difference, and you must utilize them to make that difference”, he stated.
He directed local leaders to appoint unit coordinators and door-to-door canvassers across the area’s polling units.
The coordinators, he said, should mobilize family members, in-laws and neighbors to secure a decisive electoral advantage.
The Minister also reaffirmed his intention to remain Rivers State’s “chief critic,” saying he would continue to monitor elected local-government officials and hold them accountable to voters.
He attended the meeting with Kingsley Chinda, the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, and other political leaders.
